I remember my CAT coaching days and preparation for interviews after i got some calls… In all the list of questions, there was one question I never had any trouble with. It was :
Q: In business world, who is your role model? And my answer was Sam Pitroda and ‘Rajat Gupta’
So now you know the reason of heavy heart. Sometimes things like these amaze me even astonish me and I am reminded of the words of who else but the sage of omaha :
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it” -Warren Buffet.
Every act of professionals is very much an effort to build a reputation and I know of very few people who did it better than Mr. Gupta. 34 years at Mckinsey and Co. and finishing it as a managing director. Boards of every type of institution from Global MNCs to financial behemoths, from Educational institutes to foundations like the Gates foundation and all the good work came to an end with a tragic incident.
I don’t know the motivation ( I just can’t except that its money or friendship). He has been in business world for long to know the consequences of this. I don’t know whether there is an iota of truth in it. (my language clearly tells what I hope). And I am just watching from the sidelines, listening to all the allegations and counter allegations, and feeling like a kid who has just witnesses the ‘the fall of his hero’, and is refusing to accept it and gathering hope from the words of Marc Anthony
” Heroes Rise, heroes fall…
Rise again, and win it all”